


What Happened With Harry And Ginny

by ihaveanexamintwodays



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Family, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Post-War, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:28:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 13,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24772417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ihaveanexamintwodays/pseuds/ihaveanexamintwodays
Summary: A collection of moments in the lives of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley after the Blood Wars ended. Originally posted on FF.net but since I read AO3 more now, I figured I might as well post here too!
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	1. The ring

November, 1998. Auror training camp.

"Come off it mate, what's up with you? You've been off all evening," Ron said as he approached Harry's camp cot.

Harry looked up, his pensive green eyes having been elsewhere in his mind. "Oh, hello Ron. I think…well…I've done something rather daft, I think. I know." he finally responded.

Ron raised his brow and chuckled. "That's all, is it? I'm sure it's nothing dafter than anything I've ever done. Come on, tell it, then. Unless it's Ginny, then we might have some issues...but you know that."

Harry didn't chuckle back, still looking antsy. "I'm serious Ron! It's bad! You might hit me, actually. And, it's not Ginny yet, kind of…but, well, here's what happened. After Ginny had to leave Hogsmeade today I went back to Diagon Alley and decided to walk around a bit, before I came back here for supper. And I walked in to Jordan's –you know, Lee's dad's place, the jeweler's – and though maybe I'd look around for a Christmas present for Gin, maybe a bracelet or something. But then...Merlin, you really are going to hit me, but there was this ring…" – Ron blanched at this – "and I don't know why I did it, but it was just perfect, and sitting there staring back at me, and…I bought it." After a few moments of silence, Harry looked at Ron, uncertain at his best friend's lack of response.

"Ron! Say something! You know I love your sister, so please don't be mad. I know it's completely ridiculous that I bought a ring right now, so you don't have to tell me that either...but say something!"

Ron was still speechless. "Like I said, it was perfect," Harry blurted, "and I thought to myself that whenever I did propose I wanted it to be with that ring right there...so I got it." Ron raised one eyebrow and moved his mouth, but still no answer came. Harry tried to explain himself some more, stating, "I swear I hadn't planned on even looking for a ring so soon. I mean, we've talked about it, our future, but always as a future type of thing! She's just now of age, and we just ended a great ruddy war! But someday later on."

Harry threw his arms up dramatically, having risen to his feet while speaking, then sat down on his cot with a thump. "Ron…I don't know what to do with it now!"

"You. Bloody. Idiot." Ron finally spoke. "You propose to my sister, that's what you do with it! You don't have to do it right away, but you better bloody do it! Though I expect to see that ring sometime, if it's so bloody great you had to buy it right now! Wait," Ron paused as Harry reached into his pocket, "you have it right right now?"

"...yeah. It was getting late, and you know how the Gringotts goblins have been around me, still, so I didn't want the hassle of getting it in to my vault. Plus, I sort of wanted it near me. And I obviously wasn't thinking straight anyways. So, here, look." Harry exclaimed as he pulled out a little blue velvet box and opened it.

Ron looked in and his eyes grew wide. Sparkling up at him, a round peridot stone sat flanked on both sides by small vining leaves of diamond, set upon a simple yellow gold band. "She told me one time that she loves her birthstone," Harry blurted out, "she told me that was one of the reasons green had been her favorite color ever since she was a little girl. At the time I had joked about whether she had even considered emerald-green or "fresh pickled-toad" green, and she hit me with a book," Harry smiled.

"For some reason that's the moment and the comment that I thought of when I saw this ring. It's simple but unique, and reminds me of her somehow. It gives me the same feeling I get when I see her, I guess. Maybe it doesn't make sense to you but I swear it's just perfect..." he trailed off.

"No, I see it," Ron replied. And he could, envision that ring sitting perfectly on the hand of his bold, clever, confident not-so-baby sister. "You better bloody ask her," he said, turning to look Harry dead in the eye, "it's perfect for her, and the two of you are too sodding perfect together anyways."


	2. The proposal

December 1998. The Burrow.

It was December, and everyone was at the Burrow for the winter holidays. It was four days before Christmas; Ron and Harry had the whole month of December off from the Auror training camp, while Hermione and Ginny had been home for a week from Hogwarts.

Harry and Ginny had spent the whole day in London finishing up their Christmas shopping, and while it was a successful day, Harry couldn't keep out of the back of his mind that the last time he had been in London, he had made a bit of a rash purchase….he had the little blue velvet box on the brain, and was just hoping that Ginny wouldn't notice his distraction. As soon as he could, when they got back to the Burrow, Harry skipped up to Ron's room to check among his things for the ring, which he had yet to find a chance to take to Gringotts for safe-keeping. Reassured, he put the box in his pocket and charmed it to stay there, feeling much better that it was with him personally. He went downstairs for dinner.

After dinner, Ginny suggested that they go for a fly before dessert; she had noticed Harry's distractedness and hoped that a fly would clear his mind, or at least get him to open up to her about what was going on. Harry agreed, and they soared over the Burrow orchard, but Ginny knew something was off –they took Harry's broom and he not only let her steer it without protest, but was mostly quiet as he held on behind her. Eventually she landed, put the broom in the shed, walked into the Burrow kitchen, and sighed as she cut Harry and herself each a slice of treacle tart. Mrs. Weasley was knitting in the next room and Mr. Weasley was reading the Prophet, but Ron and Hermione came in and sat across Harry and Ginny.

"Harry," Ginny began after a few bites, "I know something's wrong. I can tell that your mind has been elsewhere all day, and quite frankly I'm frustrated that you're keeping to yourself. We've discussed many times that you have to be honest with me! When I mentioned to Ron and Hermione when we got home that you had been distracted, they said they didn't know why but I can tell even they have their suspicions." She looked up and across the table accusingly, then turned back to her boyfriend. "We agreed no secrets, Harry. Is something up at camp that you're not telling me about? Did something happen while we were in London that I didn't see or…" she trailed off, as she saw Harry pale next to her. He looked almost afraid, or anxious, and she thought the dazed look in his eyes was almost like it was before she kissed him the first time in the common room after the Gryffindor Quidditch match.

"Harry?"

Harry gulped, his hand instinctively over his pocket. "Gin," he began, "I can't…I just…I don't know how to explain today…today was great! It was a perfect day with you! I'm sorry you think I'm upset, I'm not. You know I love you and you know I wouldn't keep a secret!" He stood up suddenly, his green eyes flashing around the room. If Ginny had followed them with her own eyes she would have seen her parents standing in the kitchen doorway looking in curiously, Ron staring with eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape, and Hermione's eyes twinkling as she tried to cover a hopeful smile with her hand.

Harry began again, "Gin, I love you and I will always be honest with you. I promise. You're right, of course, that I've had something to myself, but I'd told myself I needed to wait to tell you about, because that would be the right thing to do. I wanted to be responsible and considerate...even though yeah Ron and Hermione and your parents already know, and I had made a plan and everything, except now I've gone and mucked it up, and more because I'm rambling now, but…Ginny? I love you so very much."

He looked at her, her eyes concerned, and took her hands briefly before relinquishing them in favor of reaching into his pocket. He got down on one knee and Ginny gasped before she could even process what he had pulled out of his pocket or knew what he was saying. Harry opened the ring box and looked up at Ginny.

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes! Yes, of course yes!" Ginny shrieked, hurriedly reaching down to embrace Harry. She wiped her eyes, briefly thinking in surprise that she hadn't realized she'd started crying, then threw her arms around Harry again and kissed him. She could just barely hear Ron drop his fork on the ground in surprise while her father slowly clapped, and then her mother's and Hermione's gasping, giggling, and applauding in the background. But none of it mattered to her. Harry pulled back from the kiss, took the ring from the box, and slipped it on to her left ring finger. "I love you," he whispered. Neither of them could wipe the smiles from their faces.

"I love you too!" Ginny practically yelled. Harry didn't have to say anything in response – she saw in his eyes the happiest, most peaceful, yet most exuberant look she had ever seen.


	3. The return to Hogwarts

January 1999. Hogwarts Express.

Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Lavender Brown, and Parvati and Padma Patil all sat in a compartment towards the back of the train. About half of Hermione's year had returned to sit their NEWTs, joining dorms and classes with almost all of Ginny's year as Hogwarts was physically and mentally rebuilt. These six young women had become particularly close, as they adjusted to life post-War.

As the witches crowded into their Hogwarts Express compartment, Ginny made sure to take the window seat and hide her left hand in her robe sleeve against the wall. Luna was thus far the only current Hogwarts student who had been told about Ginny's engagement, and Ginny wanted to take advantage of this moment secluded with her friends to share the exciting news. She knew that Harry was already back at Auror training camp with Ron, and that her father had been charged with the task of running the official news story by the Prophet office for publication, as soon they dropped her off at King's Cross this morning. The girls currently in Ginny's compartment were her closest friends at school, and she wanted them to hear the news from her directly, rather than anyone else when the rest of the school found out.

Perfectly in time, Lavender piped up. "Sooooo, how was everyone's break?!". She continued, explaining, "Mine was pretty dull, my parents are still ever so overbearing about my condition," - Lavender had spent months in St. Mungo's with bites and scratches and scars from untransformed Fenrir Greyback during the final Battle - "but it was nice to be home, regardless!" Parvati and Padma then chimed in with stories of their travels in Switzerland with their parents, relaying how it helped them all to be out of the country and in some fresh air for a change.

Luna, whom all the girls knew was still cautiously rebuilding her relationship with her father, mentioned that she spent a lot of time at the Burrow, before airily announcing "...and now that it's Ginny's and Hermione's turn to share, I suspect you'll be getting the best story yet, the juicy one you're wanting," as she turned her gaze to he last two witches in the compartment.

Hermione and Ginny looked towards each other, then at Lavender, Parvati, and Padma. Ginny felt her chest tighten slightly, wanting badly to share her excitement but not sure how to start. Hermione thankfully jumped in, narrating how she was glad to relax and celebrate the holidays with both her own family and the Weasleys - before looking pointedly at Ginny again, and making a very obvious segue with "...though, I was very glad I was at the Burrow a few days before Christmas and got to see as..."

Ginny laughed, no longer able to contain her brilliant grin. She whipped her left hand up and let her ring sparkle. "Harry proposed!" she exclaimed.

The other girls, even Hermione and Luna, squealed in excitement. "Wow, that's gorgeous!" "How'd he do it?" "Did you know it was going to happen?" "Who else knows?" "I can't believe it! You're both so young!" "Do you have any idea when you want to get married?" and many other exclamations were made. Ginny laughed and proceeded to explain how she and Harry had always thought of spending their future together, how Harry had unexpectedly found the ring and bought in on impulse then made plans to propose months later, and how in a caught-off-guard in that moment at the Burrow he ended up down on one knee. "I am definitely not wedding-planning until after NEWTs and graduation, and we likely won't get married until after Harry's graduation, so I'm just going to enjoy the fun of being an engaged woman!"

"Now, you ladies are absolutely not allowed to say anything," Ginny warned, "you're the first people on this train to know, and unless Rita Skeeter is bugged and hiding somewhere in here, no one else will until it's announced in the Prophet tomorrow! Harry and I agreed we'd wait to publicize it until after the both of us returned from break, so my dad's taking the announcement today." She smiled happily, then had another unprecedented thought. "Oh goodness, I hope it doesn't make some special edition Evening Prophet...even for the Chosen One's engagement that'd be absurd, I think. But we had never even considered that..."  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Later that day. Hogwarts, Great Hall.

Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts Headmistress, had received some interesting news a week ago, via private letter from Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley. She was therefore expecting a large wave of gossip to soon be overcoming her students, within the first days of the spring term. Professor McGonagall was not, however, quite expecting to hear from the castle caretaker, who came running towards her seat at the staff table before the Returning Feast had even begun and students were still filing in, that hundreds of owls were currently arriving for subscribers of the Daily Prophet, carrying a special edition of the Evening Prophet. Professor McGonagall mentally thanked Merlin that this was spring and not fall term, so she didn't have a speech to make, and then also mentally sent the best comforting, strengthening good vibes as she could in Ms. Weasley's direction. She stood up.

"Welcome students, to the Spring 1999 term here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I hope you have all had a pleasant holiday. As the new term starts, be aware that the same rules as last term apply, including which wings of the castle are still closed for construction. Your Heads of House will be passing out your course schedules as you eat. And, lastly, prepare yourselves for some incoming mail, as I have just received word that an owl shipment of the Evening Prophet has been issued to our resident Prophet subscribers. However," she added sternly, as she heard a faint groan coming from a particular redheaded Gryffindor, "please do not let this disrupt your reinstallment here at the castle. Now, dinner is served. Thank you."

Food appeared in front of the students. Owls appeared in the windows. Gasps rose collectively, and heads turned towards Gryffindor table. Ginny glanced across the table at her friends, and saw the same expression in each of their faces - "Hurry and eat, and we'll get you out of this mess!"


	4. The crazy Quidditch dream

Late February 1999. Auror training camp

After a long day of classes and training sessions, Harry returned to his bunk for a quick break before dinner. At the sight of a pale-green envelop sitting on the table, he smiled - Hermione had gifted a stationery set of that exact color to Ginny for her birthday, and Ginny had given Hermione the same in periwinkle blue for hers - dropped his things on the floor, grabbed the letter, and sat on his cot. With a half-groan half-sigh as he lay down, Harry slid his finger under the envelop flap and pulled out Ginny's letter.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_Dear Harry,_

_For starters, GRYFFINDOR TROUNCED HUFFLEPUFF! I think I'm still riding the adrenaline rush - the party in the common room is still going, though it's mostly quieted down, and I'm exhausted! I wish you could have made it today, Harry, but your training is important. I know it's not as exciting as our win against Slytherin earlier, but I think we did much better as a team! And I felt like a really good captain at the end of this match, like some of the improvements I've been working for are actually showing through. After I finish writing you, I'll write Ron with a good play-by-play (that way Hermione can help me remember more objectively...) so if you're really interested, you can check with him, but I wanted to get the more important news to you first..._

_...GWENOG JONES WAS HERE TODAY! Here, as in, watching me! I saw her in the stands by Slughorn as we flew in, and almost fell off my broom! That would've been a great first impression...but I'm so, so, so glad the game went well! As we were lining up to get started, I kept telling myself that she had to be there for someone else, but deep down I knew this could be my big break. And Slughorn basically told me as much after the match. I had just started walking back to the locker rooms after catching up with Hermione and Neville, when he pulled me aside to talk to her. She told me I looked like a natural flyer and that she was impressed by my throwing technique! Not too shabby for a girl who taught her self to fly by sneaking out after dark, huh? And she said she'd be in contact with me by mail to find out what my schedule for practices and classes was like, so she could watch me train and talk to me more. Only you and Ron really understand and believe in my crazy pro Quidditch dream...and now I'm actually, for sure, somehow, being recruited by my top choice team. It's so bizarre, Harry. And amazing. The Harpies!_

_I didn't tell the team during the game that I was possibly being scouted - I tried not to act differently once I realized, and if I wasn't successful at that, no one said anything - and that was the right thing to do, right? I don't want them to feel more stressed just because I am. Only Hermione, and now you and Ron, will know. I'm sure word will get out anyways, someone will have noticed Gwenog Jones in the crowd, but I'm going to try not be the one to bring it up in conversation._

_Anyways, that's pretty much all I've got right now. Classes are going well, though honestly I can't remember a single thing I've studied recently because my brain is still clouded by Quidditch (and Hermione just looked over my shoulder and began scolding me...and is now chastising me for writing about her...isn't she the best?). How is training going? Is there anything you think you're doing particularly well at, or feel like you're struggling with? Tell me about it, and I'll write back with my boring normal school stuff! :). Miss you, Harry._

_Love, Ginny_

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

By the time he finished reading, Harry was wearing a huge grin. He turned to Ron, who was sitting with an opened blue-parchment letter on his lap and a green-parchment letter in his hands. Ron looked up at Harry and said with a questioning look, "Hey Harry, I don't get letters from both my girlfriend and my sister on the same day that often...and Hermione's is pretty short compared to normal! She said that Ginny 'has the good letter this time', but Ginny's just tells me to ask you about yours! And then has lots of details about their Hufflepuff match, which I've been reading, but really...what's she told you?"

Harry handed over his letter. Ron read it. The ginger wizard looked up, matched his best mate's grin, then stood and clapped Harry on the back as he observed, "so now you've really done it, gone and landed yourself a Harpy, huh? I don't think you need any more warning about Ginny, but...good luck, mate!" and turned and headed towards the cafeteria. Harry shook his head, then stood and followed, thinking about just how lucky he was.


	5. The graduation

June 1999. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry and Ron rushed to the stands of the Quidditch field, which was transformed into a stage where each summer the Hogwarts commencement ceremony was held the Friday following the end of term. The Auror class had pleaded with their training instructors to schedule their final exams early enough for them to attend their friends' graduation. Their last test had just ended - their own certification presentation for the academy would be the following week- and Harry, Ron, and the other trainees caught the last train to Hogsmeade just in time to make the Hogwarts ceremony. The group hurried into the stands, waving a brief hello to some of their coworkers who were stationed for security; Headmistress McGonagall had attempted to be strict on who would be allowed on school grounds for the first post-war graduation, but school commencements had always been open to all magical folk and she had been unable to convince the school Governors to change that policy, so today there were extra Aurors and Magical Law Enforcement officers present. Harry and Ron quickly climbed the seats, picking up program parchments along the way, then sat down with the rest of the entire Weasley family.

Harry unrolled his program and scanned the names, glad to see so many of his own former classmates. Lavender Brown, who Harry had visited at St. Mungo's many times the summer prior. Michael Corner, whom he knew in autumn would be part of the next incoming class of Auror trainees. Justin Finch-Fletchley, who had spent the previous year on the run; Anthony Goldstein, Justin's boyfriend according to Ginny. Hermione Granger, Harry's all-but-sister. She'd written him this year, as well as Ron, discussing how the dynamic between her and her peers had changed, how difficult it was to try and be "normal", her surprising relief at not being Head Girl, and the competition between herself and a Ravenclaw Ginny's age to have the top marks of the graduating class, among other things. Harry smiled, seeing now that Hermione would officially graduate as class valedictorian; he, Ron, and Ginny had all read drafts of her speech earlier in the week.

And finally Ginny, the last name on the list. As Harry and the Weasleys listened each other student's name called, Harry stole glimpses at his fiancée in her seat, waiting. He laughed when it was finally her turn to walk, first at her bright red face amidst the whooping and hollering of her family, then at the cheeky wink and wave she sent his way, flashing her engagement ring at the reporters he knew must be hiding somewhere in the stands. That was his Ginny, bold and confident, understanding yet firm about the boundaries of their private and public lives, beautiful, who knew just when to curb his ego or boost his morale.

After the ceremony Harry and the Weasleys caught up with Ginny and Hermione, who were standing with Luna and Xenophilius Lovegood, and were soon joined by Neville Longbottom. Congratulations were exchanged, and Mr. Weasley pulled out his old camera to take pictures. The commotion of people grouping off for photos ensued - Ginny and the Weasleys; Luna and her father; Ginny, Luna, and Hermione; Ginny and Harry; Ron and Hermione; Ginny and Harry with Ron and Hermione; Ginny and Hermione and Luna and Ron and Harry and Neville; and more. The post-commencement crowd of celebrating families continued to migle, and as other families approached the Weasleys to chat, Neville leaned in and whispered, "Let's go for a walk."

The friends nodded in agreement. Ginny grabbed Harry's hand on one side and Luna's on the other. Luna grabbed Neville who in turn grabbed Hermione, who was holding hands with Ron, and the six weaved through the crowds to the shady area by Black Lake that they each had grown fond of.

They sat down in the grass and looked out at rippling of the water's surface. "We're all moving on, aren't we?" pondered Hermione. "It's so strange to think that I'm a Hogwarts graduate! And in a month I'll be working at the Ministry!" she exclaimed, then glanced at Ron and Harry before adding, "It feels like so much more than two years have passed since the boys and I had to polyjuice our way in." The two men in question laughed and concurred.

"And here's Ron, Harry, and Neville, about to be qualified field interns in the Auror department," Hermione continued to reflect, "and Ginny about to become our very own professional athlete! You will be phenomenal, of course, Gin. By this time next year you'll probably be the most famous out of all of us." The redheaded Harpy in question rolled her eyes before retorting, "Yeah right! That's only if Luna here doesn't discover a dozen new plants or animals by then." Luna beamed, as Harry enquired about when and where she was planning to start her world travels. Luna reported that thought she might leave for Brazil in the autumn and see where life took her from there.

"Oh!" interjected Hermione, "but Ginny and Harry will start planning their wedding soon! You will come back for that, of course?" Ginny perked up at that thought and turned to Luna, "Of course she'll be back! I'm going to ask her to be a bridesmaid! Will you be a bridesmaid, Luna? On that note, will you be my maid-of-honor, Hermione?"

Ron snorted at the initiation of wedding talk, earning him a glare from his sister. Both Hermione and Luna replied affirmatively to Ginny with enthusiasm. Ron, who had been mostly quiet to this point, snorted again attempted to interject before the girls could go down the bridal rabbit-hole. He began to say, "Women and weddings, what else could this conversation end up on?" as he turned towards Harry - only to find that Harry himself wearing a thousand-mile stare and a lovey grin. "Merlin, Harry! If you're going to go googly-eyed at every mention of your wedding, you're going to end up worse than Ginny when we were kids!"

Harry started, then looked properly abashed when all his companions, including his fiancée, laughed at him. Ginny leaned in to Harry and said, "Alright, no wedding talk now. Today we'll say goodbye to Hogwarts properly - all of us, even you men, since we didn't get to do this properly last year! And tomorrow, we'll start, well...tomorrow! The rest of our lives!"


	6. The new place

Late July 1999. Gringotts Bank.

Harry was nearing the end of his summer break. He was honestly still a bit surprised to know that Auror trainees had summer break at all, particularly his class and their abbreviated training program, but he had decided to make the most that he could of the one month of free time that he had by spending (yet another) morning at Gringotts.

In the aftermath of the break-in, the Goblins had initially refused to let Harry even step foot in the building for a couple months, and when they did it was at his eighteenth birthday last summer, when he received a written notification of a "vault consolidation" that had occurred back on his seventeenth birthday. Per Hermione, this meant that he received some items or inheritance when he came of age, and goblins waited as long as they could before informing him - and they technically had no obligation to tell him what had been deposited. So over the past year Harry, on any occasion he found, was making periodic trips to the bank in attempt to archive his possessions. Thus far, Bill had shown him a gold-sorting spell that allowed him to count the monetary contents of his vault, and he was now looking at all the items and "assets" that apparently now belonged to him.

Harry had been rummaging through a file of important-looking papers when he came across a property deed. He knew what it was, as a couple of visits ago he had gone through all the items Sirius had left him years ago, including the deed for 12 Grimmauld Place - he had just not been expecting to find another one in his vault. "The Potter Estate', this one read...

As he continued to skim the deed, his eyes widened. For whatever reason, he had only ever imagined his family living in Godric's Hollow, though logically it did make sense for them to have moved there after the prophecy. Apparently his father's family actually owned a large house and estate that was entailed in a lineage of first-born sons. So many questions raced through Harry's mind - When did his parents move out? When had his mother moved in to Potter Estate? What did it look like? How long had his father even "had" the Estate, after his grandfather passed away? Why had Sirius, who must have gone there after running away from the Blacks, never told him that he would inherit a massive property? - as he also considered the impact that owning yet another house would mean for him. There were certainly several people who he needed to discuss this new finding with, including Bill, his future parents-in-law, and his best friends, but what he really needed was his fiancée.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lunchtime, Holyhead.

"Wait, you have what?" exclaimed Ginny. The seemingly-unending monetary worth of her significant other already astounded her, particularly as it seemed to be increasing - first with Sirius' and Dumbledore's deaths, then with rewards at the end of the War, and now evidently a belated inheritance from his family. She was doing alright for herself, having moved after graduation into a flat on which she would be paying her own rent when she officially started training next month, but Harry had more than he knew what to do with.

Harry exhaled, with slight exasperation that paralleled hers. "Yes, dear...I have another house. And apparently two more house-elves! Actually, I was hoping the house could be our home..." he paused before adding, "I haven't seen it yet, but somehow I'm pretty certain it will be a leap better-suited than our current plan of Grimmauld Place, even if we're able to put in the time and effort to clean the old place up."

"Well," Ginny considered, "it's a good thing I'm off today then, isn't it? Shall we go visit home this afternoon?"

Exchanging smiles, the couple finished their lunches, cleaned up, and sent a brief note to the family stating they would come over for dinner after "spending the afternoon exploring a new place". Then, following the coordinates given on the deed Harry had found that morning, they apparated to Potter Estate.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A moment later they landed, only to find themselves at the gate of an enormous residence. Upon opening the gate then front door with the keys that he had found in the file at the bank, Harry called out, "Kreggy? Talbert?" - the names of the house-elves that were contracted with the house.

One little elf immediately appeared in the entrance hall. He looked to be fairly old, though not as old as Kreacher, with drooping ears and a crooked smile. At first glance of Harry he cried, "Master! Young master, Kreggy has waited so many years to see you!" with a deep bow. "Welcome home, master. And master's miss!" he added, with a scraggly grin and gesture for both Harry and Ginny to follow him.

"Kreggy is hearing such horrible things happening since Master James had to go away, young master. You was a tiniest baby then, young master, many years! Kreggy and Talbert knowed right away that Master James and Mistress Lily had passed, before even the nice old Dumbledore came here to tell us, we was very sad indeed! But we knew our orders, take care of Estate they said, if anything happens and we can never come back said Master and Mistress, take care of Estate for young master and listen to the nice old Dumbledore. Kreggy and Talbert did, until Talbert passed away too, but Kreggy did just as good a job by his self. Kreggy will tell you!" The chatty old elf continued unpromptedly explaining to Harry and Ginny what had gone on at the Estate while under his care, as he led the young couple through room after room of the house.

Through several bedrooms, including a master suite and a guest suite, a nursery, a kitchen, two dining rooms, a parlor, two studies - they even had a ballroom, and an old stable out back! - Harry and Ginny remained wide-eyed. The Potter Estate had 4 stories with 2 wings, and while it currently showed some evidence of disuse, was beautiful and well-kept.

"Harry...this place is amazing," Ginny whispered, "and enormous!" Her companion silently nodded, taking it all in. It wasn't even the extravagance of the place that had him awed; since his introduction to magic Harry was accustomed to being continually amazed by the world around him. But he had never imagined he would have such a huge part of his own family, a whole house plus an elf who could probably tell him generations worth of stories, within his grasp. Taking the hand of the woman beside him, Harry smiled contentedly. "It is indeed," he agreed. "It's amazing, and it is home."


	7. The beginning of the planning

August 1999. The Burrow.

Green flames lit up the fireplace, and Harry Potter stepped into the Burrow. He and Ron had been out of their year of Auror training for six weeks, and living in Grimmauld Place as their "bachelor pad" while they completed their field-training internship. Harry had received Hermione's summons this morning while eating breakfast – literally, she sent him an owl with a note that read "You, Harry James Potter, are hereby summoned to dinner at the Burrow tonight to begin the official planning of your wedding to Ginevra Molly Weasley. 6:00 in the evening, casual. Sincerely, Hermione Granger, maid-of-honor." Harry had chuckled at the time and shown the note to Ron, but now he wondered just what he was walking in to, as he stepped into the kitchen to see his fiancée, his best friend, and his mother-in-law-to-be.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, "Perfect! We were just starting to bring up wedding ideas! I know you and Ginny had talked about an autumn outdoor wedding, with the weather still nice out around next September, but we've got a lot to do before then! And yes, yes Ginny I know you said you just want a private ceremony at the Burrow with just the important people, smaller than Bill and Fleur's was, but...well, you and Harry do know quite a few important people to invite…so we'll have to work on the guest list, plus food, plus decorations, plus what everybody is to wear, and of course your dress Ginny…"

Harry and Ginny both stood in the kitchen, glancing between each other and Hermione, who was sitting at the table with piles of catalogues and pamphlets relating to weddings, which she was shuffling back and forth and stacking categorically as she spoke, in a very Hermione-like fashion. "Hermione, calm down," Harry said, "you know I'll go along with whatever Ginny wants and decides is best. I just want everything to go smoothly."

"Yes," chimed in his fiancée, "just because other people have decided we're 'important' doesn't mean every detail will be a big fuss." Ginny joined her friend sitting at the table, continuing, "I was thinking if we did a Friday wedding, it would be less expected amongst the press. It would be great if we could manage the date not leaked at all, but that may be wishful thinking. Late September would still have nice weather, it would be after Harry finishes his internship qualifications, and before Quidditch season starts for me." 

Harry agreed with that suggestion. He looked around at his three favorite witches. "I don't prefer any special colors, you know I'm not picky on foods so long as there's enough, and you know I will pay for anything that's needed that you'll let me." He looked pointedly at Ginny and Mrs. Weasley. "I mean it Gin, don't limit anything on budget. I'd buy you Lucius Malfoy' pet peacocks if you wanted them at our wedding. Hermione's had to plan enough things for me to know that I'm much more useful just agreeing or disagreeing to ideas that you come up with, so you ladies can go for it."

Ginny smirked. "Just what every woman wants to hear." She grinned widely at Hermione, before giving Mrs. Weasley a knowing look and adding, "I've been planning my wedding to you since I was five years old, Potter, so I hope you know how I'll enjoy this. Of course, it's a bit different now, since I actually know you and it's actually happening…" and Ginny began to launch into a series of suggestions and things she was picturing for the event.

After sitting long past dinner and doing his very best to be as patient and contributive as possible, Harry leaned back with a sigh, and tried to process everything he'd heard. "I'm exhausted already…" he mumbled, quietly enough just for Ginny to hear and giggle at. He added, out loud, "So we're a yes on next September, likely the last weekend of the month, here in the open air of the Burrow orchard - though we'll have to work out weather contingency later. Gin, you'll have Hermione and Luna and I'll have Ron and Neville. Wedding attire will be muggle or wizard formal, but we'll do as much of the preparations for the wedding itself in the muggle world, as we do for anything else that needs to stay under wraps. You two have narrowed down a few florists and photographers to contact. We're inviting what's left of the Order and the Army, plus probably a few of the Aurors and any of Ginny's Harpies teammates, as well as close Weasley relatives and any other friends from Hogwarts...and we'll discuss food options another day. Though at my insistence Mrs. Weasley is making the cake! Yes?"

Ginny nodded. "Good enough, I suppose," she replied with a light laugh, "and not to worry, we will get all the details in the next year, Hermione and my mother will be sure of that." Those two women laughed as well, and Harry smiled. He pulled Ginny close, kissed her forehead, and then whispered in her ear as he hugged her, "I already can't wait for it to be official."


	8. The first niece-to-be

September, Harvest Moon, 1999. The Burrow.

The entire Weasley family was gathered at the Burrow, to celebrate the Harvest Moon. Each year, the family members that could would gather at the Burrow the weekend before the autumn equinox and celebrate, often including neighbors, friends, and other extended family members who could come; it was a Weasley tradition dating back to Arthur's childhood. The only Harvest Moon with all 7 Weasley children had been when Ginny was barely 6 weeks old, and this year would have been the first since then for them all to be present together had the War not taken its toll. Last year, the first autumn after the War, Harvest was a rather solemn affair, but this year Molly and Arthur were determined to have the family in full force and happy together. Molly had spent the weekend preparing a lovely pair of roasted hens with a variety of fresh vegetables and fruit, with Fleur and Hermione's help, while Ginny and Percy oversaw the cleaning of the house and Charlie and George cleaned out the yard and orchard. Even Bill, a bit ornery due to the upcoming full moon, eased up after throwing himself into helping his family get ready. Harry and Ron could not participate in the weekend festivities, but were using one of their vacation days from training to come to the ultimate Harvest Moon dinner.

Ginny was one of the two people at the Burrow who knew that Bill had one other thing, besides the full moon, on his mind. The Tuesday before, Fleur had come to Holyhead for an "urgent sœur lunch" and told Ginny an exciting bit of news. Sworn to secrecy by her sister and brother until a family announcement could be made, Ginny returned to her flat that night suspiciously joyful - she couldn't help but write a letter to Harry, hinting that she knew something special, but refused to tell her fiancé anything besides "wait for this weekend!" At the time Harry rolled his eyes, accustomed to his fiancée's dramatic antics and mischievous secrets, and assumed it was something wedding-related or maybe a prank. However, now that he was seeing in person that she had been grinning like mad the entire afternoon, and that supper was wrapping up and nothing had happened yet, he began to wonder. He recalled Ron, or maybe Fred or George, telling him once that Ginny was the best of them all at finding and keeping secrets, and he was curious as to what sort of conspiring his fiancée was up to.

Then, Bill stood up, grasping Fleur's hand as she stood as well. Harry saw out of the corner of his eye a a sparkle in Ginny's eye as she attempted to hide a smile, and suddenly he had a very good idea of what might be going on. Bill cleared his throat and spoke.

"Everyone, as we finish our celebration of this summer, and welcome autumn back into our lives, Fleur and I wanted to celebrate one more thing with you all." He looked at his wife, who nodded briefly before she chimed in, practically bursting, "before 'zis celebration next year, we are expecting our first bébé!".

Molly Weasley was already immediately shrieking and jumping to embrace the couple, while the rest of the family cheered and clapped. Fleur informed the crowd that while she had only had her first healer visit a week ago, she was positive the baby would be a girl born the first few days of May; veela-blood pregnancies are very predictable in the first several generations, she stated. Everyone was delighted at news of another Weasley joining their brood.

Harry joined the applause, toasts, and congratulations with everyone else, but also kept an eye on Ginny. They had discussed the idea of having children together several years down the road before, but Harry could tell just how excited Ginny was for her forthcoming niece – as the youngest child and only girl, Ginny had never experienced looking after a baby until Harry had Teddy. She was already a natural at doting on the little guy, and Harry knew she would be thrilled to have a baby girl to shower with auntie-affection as well. He couldn't help but let his mind wander to the now-familiar daydream of himself, his wife-to-be, and a brood of wild-haired freckly youngsters of their own.


	9. The accident

October 1999. St. Mungo's.

The door to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries burst open, and Ginny Weasley rushed over to the receptionist's desk, Hermione Granger right behind her. "We're here to see two auror camp explosion victims! Quickly!" Ginny exclaimed. The witch at the reception desk, used to receiving frantic visitors, didn't even look up. "Their names?" she asked.

Under any other circumstance, the two women would have thought twice about the attention that would be drawn by mentioning theirs or their partners' names, but neither Ginny nor Hermione had any idea what was going on – Ginny having received the Susan Bones' patronus in the middle of a Harpies practice session and Hermione at her DMLE office – and both were rather desperate.

Hermione let out an exasperated sigh, leaned over the desk to the receptionist, and whispered sharply, "Ron Weasley and Harry Potter!". The receptionist raised her eyebrows then rolled her eyes, still without an upwards regard, saying "Family members only in the Auror ward".

Ginny was frustrated with this lady. "Listen up!" she said in a quiet-but-deadly voice adapted from her mother and perfected on her brothers over years, "I'm Ginny Weasley, I'm Ron's sister and Harry's fiancée. She's Hermione Granger, and she might as well be Harry's sister and Ron's fiancée. **She** is the brightest witch of a generation, **my** mother killed Bellatrix Lestrange, and **I** am sorely tempted to hex you until you can't tell the bat-bogeys in your nose from your knees. You will tell us what beds our boys are in, please and thank you." Finally, the desk witch looked up with narrowed eyes, then back down at her files of patient records, then said, "Beds 10 and 11, Auror Ward, on the very right of Spell Damage on the fourth floor."

Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her into the lift. "Stupid witch wasn't even fazed! Ugh!" she exclaimed. "I wish I knew what happened, other than an 'accident'." Susan, a Hufflepuff from Hermione's year who one of the six other wizards and witches in the same abbreviated Auror camp program as Harry and Ron, had sent Ginny and Hermione each a patronus message stating that the boys had been in a "training accident and were at Mungo's". Both witches were grateful, knowing that Harry had no listed next-of-kin to notify, and Ron only had his parents and brother Bill, and came to the hospital as soon as possible. "I agree," replied Hermione more levelly as she calmed down, though she did not bother to address the claim Ginny had given to the receptionist regarding her identity and relationships. She, like Ginny, just wanted to make sure her boys were in one piece.

When they finally found Harry and Ron, a healer was standing between their beds, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and a tall dark-skinned man who introduced himself as "Richard, one of the heads of the Auror camp". Richard seemed to already know who Ginny and Hermione were, as he launched into a steady explanation of what had happened.

Apparently, while going through a training simulation exercise the two boys and Susan, paired with two older trainees, had needed to urgently blast through a barred entrance. One of the quick-thinking older students had done the task, but used too much force, causing some of the magically-constructed wall supporting the entrance to collapse as well. Harry had been hit by some of the debris, and residual spell magic had been found in his system. He was currently fading in and out of dopey consciousness from the potion they had put him on to remove the magical traces. Ron, meanwhile, had broken down at the sight of another loved one being pummeled by debris from a blasted wall – Ginny nearly choked as she built the mental image of what Richard was describing – and was being psychologically monitored for the afternoon. As Richard spoke, Hermione had grasped Harry's sleeping form and squeezed his hand before moving to comfort Ron. Ginny, on the other hand, looked straight into her brother's eyes, knowing her own mirrored his distraught remembrance of Fred, then sat down with her fiancée.

"Harry? Baby? They said you've woken up a few times since they put you on potion. Can you hear me?" Ginny asked.

Harry's eyes fluttered open. "Ginny. Can you hear me? Hear me, pretty Ginny...oh! Is pretty Ginny near me?" he chant-whispered, before puckering his lips, kissing the air in her direction, and declaring, "I love pretty Ginny!"

Ginny smiled in spite of herself, catching his kiss, and answered, "Yes, I do hear you. I love you too. How are you?".

Harry closed his eyes, and she thought he might have dozed again, until he rapidly reopened them again, sat up, and said as if he hadn't heard her question, "Need a kiss back, Ginny! A kiss from my miss. My miss caught my kiss, I'm in bliss. Sorry Ron, don't get your knickers all in a twist! Is Ron here?" Ginny giggled again as she looked over at Ron and Hermione, verifying to Harry that they were indeed "here".

The other couple seemed greatly cheered by Harry's newfound proclivity for rhymes, and even the healer and Richard looked amused. Harry proceeded to apologize to Ginny, Ron, and Hermione, stuttering with a frown then simply repeating Hermione's name when he could find nothing to rhyme with it. Hermione, in turn, indulged her potion-addled friend by reassuring him that even she, great mind that she is, also did not know anything that rhymed with her name.

"Harry, honey," Ginny said softly, "I'm very glad you woke up to see me, but you should get some more rest now." The fact that Harry did not protest told Ginny just how worn out he must be. "I promise you aren't missing anything important, dear. I love you," she reassured him as he lay back in bed. She was certain that once Harry was fully recovered, Ron, definitely herself, and perhaps even Hermione would enjoy reminding her fiancé of his hospital ramblings. Ginny kissed his forehead, and Harry closed his eyes and went back to sleep.


	10. The Dress

February 2000. Santa Barbara, California.

Half a year of wedding-planning, combined with a rare off-weekend from training, plus a couple more days leave that she'd had to fight for from management, and Ginny was more than ready for the girls trip she was finally on. While she and Harry planned long ago to do their wedding preparations outside of wizarding England, she had been extremely surprised to learn that her Christmas present from him this year had been a trip, for herself and her friends, to travel to America to shop for dresses as well as relax. She was with Elena, the Harpies' new starting seeker, as well as Hermione, Luna, and Fleur. They had arrived in Santa Barbara via portkey two days ago and had spent their time thus far at a local beach. Now, they were just awaiting the arrival of Mrs. Weasley, who would be joining them for the day to help find her daughter's wedding dress.

Mrs. Weasley's portkey brought her to cottage the girls were staying in at 9:00 in the morning on the dot, and the ladies immediately apparated to a park near Alma's Bridal Shoppe, a modern boutique known as one of the best in the area in terms of quality and expertise. They were just in time for their 9:30 appointment. "I may not be as adjusted to this time zone as you are, girls," chirped Mrs. Weasley, "but one has infinite reserves of energy to shop for her only daughter's wedding dress!"

The group of women stepped into Alma's and were immediately greeted once Hermione verified the appointment with the receptionist. "Hello!" smiled a petite brunette in her mid-thirties. "I'm Tessa! I'll be your consultant today. Who have we here?"

The bride stepped forwards and shook Tessa's hand. "I'm Ginny Weasley," she introduced herself, then presented her mother and her friends as well. Upon Tessa's guidance, the other ladies were seated on sofas arranged around a set of mirrors, while Ginny followed Tessa into a private dressing room. The consultant asked, "So what are we looking for today? Tell me about the wedding, your fiancé, and any details you want in the dress!"

"Well," Ginny stated, thinking over the muggle-friendly description she had discussed with Hermione. "The wedding will be outdoors, in an orchard near my childhood home. My fiancé, Harry, grew up with very little family, as his parents were killed when he was young, but they set aside money for him and he's insisting on paying for anything I'll let him. Which includes him trying to get me to set no budget limit on this dress," Ginny gave an indulging smile here, "but Hermione and I did some calculations to American dollars anyways and we're going to say around $2500, $3000 at the most. I myself am not a very bells-and-whistles type of girl, so I'm not looking for much on the ruffles or poof. However, our wedding will have a lot of attention on it – I am a professional athlete in England and Harry works for the government – so the dress definitely has to have some personality to it," she informed Tessa.

"Hermione said I should tell you that I grew up with six older brothers, and survived the loss of one of them," Ginny added with a sad smile. "I'm mum's only girl, too, and my family is so very important to me. To both of us - my family is his family...Harry has been an honorary Weasley for years, before I join him as a Potter this autumn."

Tessa contemplated. "This girl looks barely twenty," she pondered, "yet you can tell she is fierce. The love of a family, and that strength, is something beautiful to start a marriage with. She needs something feminine enough to make her truly feel like a queen, yet classy and confident. Something bold, but not over the top," she pondered. And with this, Tessa set out to collect dresses to try on.

She came back with four dresses. "This first one is kind of unique, a vintage-simple style," Tessa began. Ginny scrutinized the gown, which a soft white sheath featuring an embroidered pattern and with a sheer mesh blouson layer over the bodice. "The pattern of the fabric here is very delicate yet deliberate, and narrow skirt would compliment your petite figure nicely," the consultant continued, "let's see if you like the style." Ginny stepped into the dress and looked in the mirror as Tessa buttoned her up.

Ginny walked out to the seating area to show her family and friends. While they all ooh'd and ah'd appropriately, they also agreed when Ginny said it felt not quite like her. "It's unique, but not Ginny-unique," Hermione asserted, "she needs a little more sass." Elena chimed in with a smirk, "Ginny isn't much for flashy, but she does have flare!"

The second wedding gown was ivory instead of white and was fit-and-flare which Ginny liked; most of its detail was in the pleating and ruching of the satin, rather than beads or lace. This dress was not a crowd favorite; while Elena liked the texture of the fabric, Hermione noted that this one "also is just too prim". Mrs. Weasley pronounced this dress "elegant and assured, like a queen," but definitely not quite her daughter's personality. The third dress was much better, a strapless lining with a sheer overlay and beaded lace appliqué, which gathered from her chest to above her shoulders to form a deep v-neck and straps. The back was lace in a deep V as well, which Ginny thought accentuated her toned arms and upper body. Dress number three was a strong favorite amongst her entourage, and Ginny agreed that she loved the artfully-placed beading and the daring low back. However, she wanted to try the last dress for good measure, and she ended up being glad that she did.

As soon as she stepped into the fourth dress and looked in the mirror as Tessa buttoned her up, Ginny knew. This dress was cream-colored, with a sweetheart sheer bodice covered in floral lace appliqués of shimmering beads and sequins. It had thin beaded straps, and the back was low with buttons all the way down the simple fit-and-flare skirt. Just a hint of beaded lace lined the hem and extended out over the sweep train. "The bodice definitely has wow factor," Tessa noted, "but it doesn't overpower, and bottom is more simple but not plain." Ginny couldn't keep her smile away, and nodded in affirmation as Tessa regarded her and declared, "you absolutely love this one."

Ginny walked out into the seating area, to show off this final dress, with the same huge grin on her face. Mrs. Weasley gasped, Luna' wide eyes grew wider, and Fleur and Hermione beamed. Luna, in her serene manner of observations, concluded, "Ginny is much happier in this one than the others."

The bride-to-be nodded. Mrs. Weasley, with tears in her eyes, exclaimed, "Oh Ginny!" She stepped up to her daughter and clasped their hands together, "my sweet Ginevra, who I was so terrified yet so proud to see fighting for love, and now I see in a beautiful dress and with a beautiful smile that makes up for those sacrifices. I am so happy for you!" Ginny began to tear up as well, as Fleur added, "No one will want to let go of you, chérie. Not your mama and papa, not your bruzzers, not 'Arry. I 'ave not been a Weasley woman my 'ole life like you 'ave, Ginny, but you are a woman of strength, intensity, and love - and zat dress shows it off. You will make a very lovely Madame Potter, I am sure of it."

Hermione, who had yet to comment, didn't need to; the emotion in her eyes said it all. She had known how Ginny had felt about Harry through their school years, had encouraged her to be herself around him, had comforted and counseled her as they rebuilt their lives after the war, had squeezed her hand as they unleashed their men on the real world while both witches returned to school, had stood by her as she tried to keep her personal life and now her impending marriage out of public speculation. Hermione knew Harry and Ginny better than anyone, save Ron, and Ginny could not have been more ecstatic when Hermione finally jumped out of her seat and flung her arms around her.

Ginny Weasley, in one day, in a muggle shop halfway across the world from her home, had found her perfect wedding dress.


	11. The poster

Early September, 2000. Ministry of Magic.

Harry sat at his desk, flinging bits of wadded parchment over the cubicle wall at Ron, and swatting at the wadded parchment bits that were coming back his way. It was Friday, and the pair of newly-qualified aurors had been assigned to paperwork to close out the week, but neither of the boys were feeling particularly productive. Just then, a pale-green envelop fluttered out of the Ministry's mail chute and landed on the tray atop Harry's desk.

Harry wrinkled his brow at the sight of the familiar color; he hadn't gotten mail from Ginny but a handful of times since she finished school. He wondered what it could be, such that she couldn't have told him when they Floo-called yesterday and she couldn't have waited until they saw each other this weekend. The envelop was rather thick, and when Harry opened it he could tell there was a large and thick sheet of paper inside, but as he reached for it a note in the recognizable stationary slipped out.

_Harry-_

_The team promotional material is here! All the players and staff went through samples with Anya this morning, before it hits the shelves next week. I nabbed a few items for myself (and you) - a couple of the first "Potter" tee-shirts (!) and such. I'll bring them to you this weekend, but I wanted to send you this one thing today._ _I shrunk it down to fit in the envelop, just so that you'll be the very first fan ever to see it._ _Enjoy my debut Quidditch poster, dear. Miss you!_

_Love, Ginny_

Ah, Harry smiled. Ginny had begun last season, her first as a professional, on the Harpies second-string roster, but had gotten quite a few minutes of playing time and was increasingly popular amongst fans of the green-and-yellow team. Harry knew that each year during the practice season Anya, the Harpies' chief publicist, did promotional material such as tee-shirts, fan jerseys, posters, and banners for the team as a whole, but also for individual players expected to play in the starting seven throughout the upcoming year. For Ginny to have been chosen for her own poster was a very big deal, indeed. The items would be available in stores later this month, a week before the annual public intra-squad match that the Harpies held before regular season started. Coincidentally, this year's match was scheduled for 5 days before Harry and Ginny's wedding.

Reaching into the envelop, Harry pulled out the other object inside and pointed his wand, unshrinking the poster. At first it seemed to be just blue sky with Quidditch hoops in the background and a hint of treetop in the lower left corner. Then a flash of movement from the corner, and Ginny came zooming out from behind the tree with a Quaffle in hand, whizzing in front of the hoops and giving him a wink. Harry smiled; leave it to Ginny to try and play a trick on him, even in poster-form.

"What's that, mate?" questioned Ron. The ginger auror had also recognized Ginny's colored envelop. Harry stood up and stepped around the cubicle wall, showing his partner the poster. Ron raised his eyebrows and grinned, goofily waving at the poster version of his sister. Harry looked at the poster again, just in time to see poster-Ginny roll her eyes at her brother, before turning and speeding towards the hoops, pitching the Quaffle through.

"Damn," Ron swore with with an impressed look on his face, "I expected she'd be on the starting lineup, especially since Hanna Cleary retired after a decade of chasing for the Harpies...but I can't believe my ickle baby sister has her very own Quidditch poster!"

Harry nodded, "I know, I'm so proud of her. And I can't wait to see her fly laps around the Cannons!" Ron groaned in response. Harry just laughed and went back to his side of the office, and used a charm to stick the poster to the wall perpendicular to the one he shared with his partner. As he sat down, a sound like the swishing of air made him turn to the poster again, where poster-Ginny was now flying back and forth full-speed to try and get his attention.

"You're not going to be like this all the time, are you? I do actually need to get work done, you know!" he chastised his future-wife's image. She huffed then smiled beatifically, flitting around the picture. Harry continued to watch her in amusement; magical posters could not talk like magical paintings did, but they sure did still have personality.

Poster-Ginny flew around for another few seconds before stopping, looking straight at him, then pulling her long flame-colored hair out of its ponytail and shaking it out - just like real Ginny knew he loved to watch her do. Poster-Ginny tossed her loose hair over the shoulder of her home-match green uniform, shrugged cheekily, and winked at Harry again before leaning into her broom and resuming her flying. Goodness, Harry hoped his fiancée's poster wasn't going to be _this_ flirtatious with everyone who had one...


	12. The Big Day (wedding: part 1)

September 29, 2000. The Burrow.

Peace, and joy, and contentment. Ginny had never been much for cliches, but so far that's just how her wedding day was unfolding. Even high-strung Hermione seemed to be smoothly marking off tasks on her self-made maid-of-honor to-do list, going about the Burrow checking on things with a full face of makeup and hair already sleeked back. Meanwhile, Luna was helping curl Ginny's hair, and Fleur nursed baby Victoire before she began on Ginny's makeup. Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen adding final frosted details to the wedding cake, having resolved to hold off on seeing her daughter until later in the day, for fear of otherwise spending the whole day in happy tears.

Harry, on the other hand, was a mess. Battle to defeat a Dark Lord? No problem. Jubilant day of love and celebration? Harry was jittery with overthinking and unrest. The men had set up seemingly-countless pavilions the day before, for guests and caterers and decorations and more, and Harry stood just outside the back door of the Burrow, overlooking the whole panorama. He hadn't seen Ginny all week. First she had been with her team before their Intersquad, which he and Ron had been required to work through. In the following days, Ron and Hermione apparently had thought the most helpful way to distract Harry was to constantly have him with either friends or family at Potter Estate, getting his and Ginny's things moved from Grimmauld Place and Holyhead, respectively. Now he had been told the "rule" was he couldn't see his bride until the wedding, and Harry was on the verge of going so batty he might as well be confunded. In fact, he considered whether a confundus charm might help him at all, wishing someone had thought to have a calming draught on hand...and evidently he wore his worry on his face, as the Burrow's salt-and-copper-haired patriarch approached him.

Arthur chuckled. "Too many thoughts, eh, son? Usually when I feel that way, Molly is the one who sets me straight. You know, when she and I were married we had barely a sickle between us, so it was just a small thing with us and our families, and she and I walked up to the officiant hand-in-hand. But now for our daughter's wedding she's gone all-in for any sort of traditions, with Hermione and especially Fleur abbetting it, hasn't she?" Harry nodded - silently agreeing that Ginny probably could set his head on straight, if only the posse hovering around her would let him near enough to talk to her. Arthur regarded his soon-to-be son-in-law again and mused, "You know, you're practically a Weasley man now. And as you might have noticed, us Weasley men have been known to toe the line with rules, from time to time. I bet you, if she isn't all trussed up yet, I could get away with borrowing my daughter for a bit. Maybe taking her out to my shed for a few minutes, just for a quiet moment? What do you think?" He turned his calm demeanor towards Harry, a twinkle in his eye.

"I...well...sounds promising?" Harry stammered - he caught on immediately to what Arthur was getting at and could practically feel the relief hit him. "Really great actually, Mr. Weasley. I think...Ginny...would really appreciate that."

Minutes later, Arthur walked around the back corner of the Burrow, arms linked with his daughter, walking away from her mother and friends. Ginny looked beautiful, her eyes lined in kohl and cheeks flushed lightly with rouge, the flames of her hair falling in waves, as she walked barefoot through the grass beside her father. "So what's this 'special daddy-daughter secret' all about, dad? Do you really have something hidden out in the shed?" Ginny speculated archly, "you're not particularly good at making secret plans and keeping them from mum, so consider me intrigued."

Arthur replied lightly, "you're right, my dear, of course. I like to think you lot get your mischief from me, but I'm utter bollocks at it when it comes to your mum. Luckily, this one's not about me..." and he opened the door to the shed and called, "best close your eyes, my boy! It's the rules, you know!" Arthur then turned to his daughter with a fond smile. "Sweetheart, you should head back up whenever you're ready." He made way for the young witch to squeeze around him into the shed, winked at the nearly-weds, then walked around side the shed where he would neither intrude on them nor be discovered by his wife.

"Well, well, well, Potter, you've always been trouble, but convincing dad to be your accomplice, hmm?" Ginny laughed, then heard the unease in her fidgety fiancé's responding chuckle. She stepped towards him, each drawn to the proximity of the other. Harry offered a half-smile and said simply, "I would kiss you, but I can't exactly see where you are..."

He sighed as she pressed her lips to his gently, her hand on his cheek as he rest his forehead on hers. "Thanks. I think I just needed that, to be near you for a moment. It's been all week..." Harry held Ginny close, taking a moment to appreciate just being able to lean on his fiancée.

"I know we've gone longer apart, but so much is happening, one thing after another today. I missed you," he tried to explain, "and that just made me nervous, like I'm going to miss something else. It's not cold feet, there's nothing I want more than this. But it's like, I'm moving in slow-motion, while everyone else is all abuzz. I can't believe this is happening. To me. For us."

"This _is_ us," his bride replied, "our love, our family, our lives together." Ginny moved her hand to reach for his, giving it a squeeze, reassurance, "It's everything we already have, Harry - but now it'll be official." Here she paused, then added, "Plus, you and me always get a good start when we've got a party!" Harry could hear the cheeky smirk in her voice, and it was contagious as he grinned too. "I know, Gin," he stated, "it's just hard to believe. It's real, but feels surreal. To be so happy."

Ginny stepped out of the shed, still hand-in-hand with her not-quite-husband. "I think my few minutes are up, dear, I should probably head back in," she sighed as she let go of Harry and turned towards her childhood home, before turning back to offer one more quick kiss. Harry smiled reflexively, then opened his eyes once he heard Ginny's footsteps pad towards the Burrow. In a few more hours, they would be hand-in-hand again, as husband and wife.


	13. The Beginning (wedding: part 2)

September 29, 2000. The Burrow, approaching evening.

The grass glowed green and bronze in the hills behind the Burrow, and the white tents set up in the clearing by the orchard sheltered a crowd of hundreds. The sun would set in about an hour, and it was wedding time.

Harry stood at the front, flanked by Ron and Neville, with Percy acting as the officiant. The _communius_ spell, used to bind the cores and souls of two magical beings, was one that required intricate focus and magical endurance, and was regulated as carefully as apparition. As a favor to Harry and Ginny, Percy had only-recently joined the list of Ministry-recognized wizards with the certification required to perform it.

Ginny was in the orchard, with her mother and her bridesmaids. She looked around, amongst the trees, and down at her childhood home. She remembered sneaking out at nights to fly, learning to control her broom by weaving between these apple trees. She remembered throwing those apples at her brothers as children play-fighting. She remembered sitting in this clearing with Ron the summer after the War ended, two best friends in silent companionship. She remembered solace and solitude with Harry, beneath the branches. Now she stood in their shade with Molly and Arthur, having eschewed a bridal bouquet in favor of an autumn flower crown so both her parents could walk her down the aisle, as a charmed string quartet played the ceremony music.

"Oh, my love..." Molly murmured in her daughter's ear, the two witches tightly in embrace. Her eyes surprisingly had remained dry all day as she bustled around her house getting ready for the big event. Ginny, normally thick-skinned and confident, on the other hand felt her eyes begin to water for the first time as she prepared to walk down the aisle. "Thank you for everything, mum," she whispered. "Both of you mean the world to the both of us," she regarded both her parents with affection and admiration, "we have the best family, because of you. We know love, because of you." Arthur and Molly shared a glance, fond and wise, and Arthur reached in to wipe the moisture glistening in his daughter's eyes. He hooked his elbow through his daughter's right arm, and Molly clasped Ginny's other hand in hers, and the elder couple walked in-step with the bride towards the altar.

The whole crowd and risen and turned to look towards the bride. A small thought floated in the back of Ginny's mind, that perhaps she should look around at the crowd of friends and rejoice in their love, but once she saw Harry at the end of the aisle, she could not let go of the look in his eyes. As she neared the end of her walk, Harry came to meet her, and with a kiss from both on each of the parents' cheeks, Ginny relinquished their grasp and took hold of the hand she had come to know as well as her own.

"Friends and family," Percy began, "on behalf of the bride and groom, welcome to this celebration of their love. I am so honored that they chose me to officiate this wonderful event. I know most people here are well aware of how long I myself can talk, so I'm going to just turn it over to them, and their vows, on their day."

Harry took a deep breath. Ginny knew that public displays of emotion were not his forte, and she knew the time he must have dedicated just to get these few words right. He met her eyes and spoke, "My entire life, all I had ever wanted was a family. Since I turned eleven, countless people have offered me that in so many ways. But I never could have imagined what I have with you. Love and hope, safety and discovery, a partner, and a future. You've saved me in so many ways. You've shown me that love is a choice, but that you've made yours unconditionally, and today I vow to do the same, for the rest of our lives." Harry smiled as he made his vows - simple, clear, and confident - and then he took her left hand and slid her simple gold wedding band to join the peridot ring already there.

"Harry," the bride began in her turn. In her palm she held a wider gold band, with engravings etched to look like a snitch. "You and I have been through so much and grown so much together. We've stood at the brink of death, and come back together. We've celebrated the smallest and largest of victories, achieved together. The things I need the most, you know just when to give, and the things I have in plenty, I will always share with you. We will love, and learn, and protect, and encourage. I vow these things to you today, and for the rest of our lives." Ginny placed her husband's wedding ring on his left fourth finger, then stepped forward to place her left hand over his heart, and his over hers. The young couple knelt, gave a brief nod to their officiant, then locked eyes with each other.

Percy stepped up to the pair and raised his wand, beginning the incantation. As he stepped in circle around them, wandpoint alight with gold ribboning around the young couple, Harry felt a burst of warmth grow slowly within him. It was strong, but not overpowering, and felt as if it was pulling from inside him and leading him to something, closer and closer. Ginny felt it too - and then all of a sudden it changed, as the charm looped between them, like whatever destination the magic sought was now surrounding them. Like the buzz in the air after a well-aimed shot of the quaffle, or a brisk breeze midsummer, or arriving home after a long time away. Finally the murmuring the spell came to a pause, the gaze between the bride and groom illuminated by the magic, and Ginny and Harry stood.

Percy pronounced the final word of the enchantment, and the twists of gold settled in to Ginny and Harry themselves. "Harry James and Ginevra Molly, you now stand joined in heart, in soul, and in magic. I am honored and overjoyed to present - Harry and Ginny Potter!"

* * *

Hours later, the newlywed couple swayed slowly on the dance floor. A ballad from a past era - Celestina Warbeck for the older generation - had just finished playing and now the tones of a recent love song by a muggle band floated in the background. Over the course of the evening Ginny had nearly tripped several times before kicking her shoes off under their table, and Harry had continuously smiled for more photos that he ever had before, but now as they danced surrounded by the last of their guests, each wore a soft look of serenity on their faces.

"It truly has been the perfect day," Ginny noted contentedly. Harry's eyes brightened as he nodded, the corner of his mouth upturned as he replied, "It really has. I might be a little biased, but I think it's because I have the perfect wife." As the happy laugh of the witch in question rung in the air, Harry knew this was the start of the best adventure he would ever have, and no matter what the future held for them he and his bride would be stronger and happier for it, together.


End file.
